The History Show

On this week's programme, we're taking a peek into a range of books dealing with 1916. We'll be particularly focusing on those that take a slightly different approach to the Rising. Such as works dealing with specific places and battles; first-hand accounts and stories about individuals; as well as the human legacy of Easter Week.

Historians Lisa Godson and Mick O'Farrell and also University College Cork's Alan Titley joined Myles with their book choices.

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The History Show - Full Programme Podcast - 6th December 2015

This week, we're taking a peek into a range of books dealing with 1916. We'll be particularly focusing on those that take a slightly different approach to the Rising. Such as works dealing with specific places and battles; first-hand accounts and stories about individuals; as well as the human legacy of Easter Week.

1916 Books

First, we heard from Liam Donnelly, Manager of Hodges Figgis on Dawson Street in Dublin. He spoke to our reporter Lorcan Clancy about the ever growing collection of 1916 books that are filling the shelves at the shop. Below is a list of the books Liam mentioned.

LIAM DONNELLY'S RECOMMENDATIONS

Making 1916: Material and Visual Culture of the Easter Rising - Edited by Lisa Godson and Joanna Brück (Liverpool University Press 2015)

Children of the Rising - Joe Duffy (Hachette Books Ireland 2015)

At Home in the Revolution: What Women Said and Did in 1916 - Lucy McDiarmid (Royal Irish Academy 2015)

Easter 1916: The Irish Rebellion - Charles Townshend

A Short History of the 1916 Rising - Richard Killeen

The Easter Rising - Michael Foy, Brian Barton

1916: The Easter Rising - Tim Pat Coogan

The Easter Rebellion 1916: A New Illustrated History - Conor McNamara (The Collins Press)

Courage Boys, We are Winning: An Illustrated History of the 1916 Rising - Michael Barry (Andalus Press)

Rebels: Voices from the Easter Rising - Fearghal McGarry

1916: What The People Saw During the 1916 Rising - Mick O'Farrell

Shootout: The Battle For St Stephen’s Green, 1916 - Paul O'Brien

Field Of Fire: The Battle of Ashbourne, 1916 - Paul O'Brien

Conor McNamara's The Easter Rebellion 1916: A New Illustrated History features high quality reproductions of archival photographs, posters, postcards, and various documents

BOOKS MENTIONED DURING THE PROGRAMME

Myles is joined in studio by historians Lisa Godson and Mick O'Farrell, and also Alan Titley of University College Cork. Below is a list of books that were mentioned during the programme.

The Scrap - Gene Kerrigan (Doubleday Ireland)

Making 1916: Material and Visual Culture of the Easter Rising - Edited by Lisa Godson and Joanna Brück (Liverpool University Press 2015)

Patrick Pearse: A Life in Pictures - Brian Crowley (Mercier Press)

Who’s Who in the Dublin Rising 1916 - Joseph E.A. Connell (Wordwell)

Children of the Rising - Joe Duffy (Hachette Books Ireland 2015)

The Easter Rising 1916 - Pat Hegarty (Gill & MacMillan)

The Easter Rising 1916 - Molly's Diary - Patricia Murphy

Our Struggle for Independence: Eye-Witness Accounts from the Pages of an Cosantoir - Terence O'Reilly

1916: The Mornings After - Tim Pat Coogan

According to their Lights: Stories of Irishmen in the British Army, Easter 1916 - Neil Richardson (The Collins Press)

Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa: Unrepentant Fenian - Shane Kenna

Eamon de Valera: A Will to Power - Ronan Fanning

Frongoch and the Birth of the IRA - Lyn Ebenezer

The Coming Revolution: The Political Writings and Speeches of Patrick Pearse (Mercier Press)

The 1916 Diaries of an Irish Rebel and a British Soldier - Mick O'Farrell (Mercier Press)

JOSEPH E.A. CONNELL - WHO'S WHO IN THE DUBLIN RISING 1916

We heard from author Joseph E.A. Connell. In his book Who’s Who in The Dublin Rising 1916, he lists all of the men and women who were in the garrisons of the rebel forces during Easter Week, along with a short biography of each.

In all, that was 2100 people. He told us just one of their stories - that of Molly O'Reilly, who raised the green flag over Liberty Hall in 1916.

LUCY MCDIARMID - AT HOME IN THE REVOLUTION

We heard from Lucy McDiarmaid, author of the book At Home in the Revolution: What Women Said and Did in 1916. She told the story of Catherine Byrne, a woman who jumped through the window to get into the GPO during the Easter Rising.

FEARGHAL MCGARRY - THE ABBEY REBELS OF EASTER 1916

We heard from Fearghal McGarry. author of the book The Abbey Rebels of Easter 1916.

It's a biography of seven figures associated with the Abbey Theatre who took part in the Easter Rising. He talks about the importance of culture in revolutionary nationalism, and how the rebels memories of 1916 sometimes diverged from the 'state narrative' of commemoration.

LISA GODSON - MAKING 1916

Historian Lisa Godson joined Myles in studio. Her book (co-edited with Joanna Brück) is called Making 1916: Material and Visual Culture of the Easter Rising.

This volume of essays examines the material and visual culture of the Rising - the 'things' of 1916. Family keepsakes such as autograph books from Frongoch internment camp, informal souvenirs such as pieces of rubble from Dublin’s General Post Office, and ‘official’ souvenirs such as photo booklets each played a significant role in the construction of individual and collective memory.

MICK O'FARRELL - 1916: WHAT THE PEOPLE SAW DURING THE 1916 RISING

Myles was joined in studio by historian Mick O'Farrell, the author of a number of books about 1916. In the book 1916: What the People Saw During the 1916 Rising he collects accounts about what happened that week, written by civilian witnesses. The accounts come from letters, diaries, extracts from otherwise unrelated biographies, and contemporary magazine and newspaper articles.

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About The Show

Bringing the past to life! Discover how our world was shaped as Myles Dungan and guests explore events ranging from medieval times to the recent past.

We want to help explain ourselves to ourselves. We will search out fresh angles on familiar topics, seek out the unfamiliar and will not shy away from bizarre or controversial issues. Our ultimate goal is to make The History Show the primary port of call for those with an intense or even a modest interest in the subject. We want to entice the casual and the curious to join us in celebrating the past.

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